William gardner



g 2 Sheet-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. GARDNER.

ROLLER FOR SKATES.

Patented June 23, 1885.

IN VEWTOR WITNESSES u. PLIERS, Phavuihoinphuh wuhimm w;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM GARDNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ALLIE E. BEECHER, OF SAME PLACE,

. ROLLER FOR SKATES.

EBPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,774, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed February 13, 1885.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bellers for Roller'Skates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to rollers for skates; and the novelty consists in the construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The body of my improved roller is composed of two disks, secured together in such a manner as to secure a rubber disk or ring between them. Each disk is composed of several layers of wood veneer, the grain of the wood in different layers being arranged at different angles, to preventwarping, splitting, &c., and these layers or veneers are firmly and securely glued or cemented together in any approved manner and by any approved compound.

An important feature of the inventionis an arrangement by which one or more of the outer layers of each disk are chamfered or beveled off at an angle, not only to protect the outer edges of the periphery, as will be explained, but also to afford a maximum and sufficient bearing for the axle of the roller. In such a roller the portions of the periphery which lie across the grain of the wood are sufficiently strong; but the portions which lie parallel with the grain, or nearly so, will split off, fray, and wear. Upon the tread of the wheel thisis provided for by having such parts supported by the adjacent layers, in which the grain runs at right angles thereto, or nearly so. Upon the outer edges of the tread, however, the longitudinal portionsby which I mean the portions where the grain and the plane of the tread are most nearly parallel would be unsupported, and as the use to which the roller is to be placed will frequently call 5 for its revolution with one or the other of these edges bearing on the floor, I provide chamfered disk with the grain at direct right angles to that of the outer disks, and the angle so acute that the beveled portion will never have a bearing on the floor. Other disks carrying the same bevel are provided, which serve to increase the axle-bearing.

(N0 model.)

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a central section, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, of my improved roller. 7

Referring to the drawings, A designates one of the compound disks or rings, and A the 6) other, clamped together by screws or bolts B, so as to secure between them a rubber ring, 0, which is of slightly greater diameter than the disks, to form a tire, as shown. Each of the disks A A is formed of a series of layers of wood veneer, a a a &e., arranged in such manner that the grain of adjacent layers shall be at right angles with each other. Thus the portion of the tread where the side of the grain is presented is supported by the adjacent lay- 7o ers, where the end of the grain is presented; but as the roller in the various maneuvers of the skater is frequently run upon its edge it is obvious that the fibers which are presented sidewise to the floor would be unsupported and quickly worn away, leaving an irregular surface, as in the case of the layer a". As illustrated, I provide a chamfered layer, D. The angle of this chamfer is so acute that the surface will never be brought into bearing, and So it is so arranged that the ends of the fibers will lie across those fibers of the layer a which are presented side to the floor. The side fibers of this layer D do not need support, as they never come into contact with the floor. ditional layers, as M, are applied, in order to provide sufficient axle-bearing N, and these layers are beveled, as shown. The compound disks may be formed by steam and pressure in any of the approved processes and treated with seasoning or hardening compounds.

The invention presents a light, cheap, and durable roller. The rubber disk presents a noiseless tire, that avoids sliding laterally in turning curves.

The invention has nothing in common with car-wheels'in which disks formed of layers of wood similarly arranged served as webs to metal peripheries, as in such case no provisions to support side fibers from wear were I0 necessary; nor should it be confounded with wheels which have a peripheral recess to receive a rubber tire.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole-as, for instance, the rubber ring may be dispensed with, in which case but one disk would be necessary.

My invention is designed to overcome certain objectionable features inherent in ordinary box-wood rollers now in general use, among which objections I mention its greater weight, liability to split and break, particularly when it strikes obstructions, to slide 011 the periphery when the grain of the portion of the roller is parallel with the horizontal diameter of the axle, and the liability of the bearing to become enlarged and elliptical in form,instead of wearing evenly at all points. I overcome these objections by forming my improved roller of veneers arranged as hereinbefore described, whereby the weight of the set of rollers is reduced several ounces, the width of the tread of the wheel is very much reduced, the bearings caused to wear uniformly and evenly, and that the grain of the different veneers appearing at the circumference of a com posite wheel at so many different angles serves to increase the friction between the roller-surface at right angles to the line of travel, whereby the lateral sliding of the rollers is prevented. In the ordinary box-wood roller the grain of the Wood runs parallel with the horizontal axis of the roller, while in my improved composite roller the grain of the layers of veneers runs at right angles and tangentiall y to the axis thereof.

What I claim as new is 1. Askate-roller composed of layers of wood veneer, the end fibers of one layer alternating with the side fibers of adjacent layers, and the side fibers of the outer layers supported by the end fibers of a chamfered disk-layer, as D, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The roller described, consisting of the layers a a a &c., arranged to cross grain and secured together, the layer D, arranged to support the side fibers of the layer a and the layers M, to increase the axle-bearing, all arranged to serve as a whole for the purpose Set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'WILLIAM GARDNER.

Witnesses:

FRANK Moss, L. E. LOWNES. 

